Time for a new start...

Blueberry Park's days are numbered. Thank you all so much for being with me on this chapter of my journey. It is time for things to move on...to find out more about the new chapter of my journey go here.

xox

Blueberry Park Makes 4...

September Instagram's #blueberryparkmakes

Wow that came around quickly! It seems like everyone has rediscovered creative time with the kids going back to school n all!

It has been another month of wonderful makes ~ man you lot are so creative!

As ever I can only choose 4 so September's favourite 4 Instagram pics with the hashtag blueberryparkmakes are as follows...

clockwise from top left...

@themessynest ~ Cuter than cute row of pips on Jen's apple block...check out Jen's other apple blocks with Blueberry park centres...

@theochiltree ~ the most stunning log cabin block EVER...and check out Nikki's feed to see what she did with this block...it's awesome!

@sewist53 ~ the ever creative Sue's coffee jug jacket...love it!

@littlecreatable ~ a paper piecing masterpiece by Brie is just too astounding for words. I can't even imagine how incredible this is in person.

Thanks as ever to all of you for lighting up my world with your amazing creations...I can't get enough of them!

Screen Printing Workshop...the FQR way...

 What a weekend!

I am still coming down from the high and not sure I actually ever will.

There is so much to say about Fat Quarterly Retreat 2014...so many people to thank ~ first up Brioni, Lynne and Tacha ~ so many wonderful people I met ~ too many to mention right now ~ so many friends I remet and met for the first time ~ again too many to mention right now ~ and of course all the fantastic people I met in my classes...

There will be another blogpost about Retreat ~ sorry! ~ but first up has to be a photo montage of the 20 wonderful, enthusiastic, crazy, talented, ladies ever.

Wow it was crazy in the most incredible way ever! Grab a coffee, sit back, and slowly scroll through and get a glimpse of the most wonderful time we had.

x

dreams do come true...

 this week was a week where some of the secrets i have been hoarding have been spilling out...

the week started with my tumbling tinsel piece being featured in the fat quarterly scraps issue.

i really enjoyed devising this little quilt, using up precious scraps from previous projects.

i just wish i had had time to make a bigger version, but i guess we shall just put it on the ever growing to do list.

on friday my pixelated quilt, that i had been working on at the end of last year, achieved star status as this month's issue of love patchwork and quilting.

i obviously knew it was coming out, but to see my quilt and my name on the front cover of this fab mag was such a thrill! i am still recovering from seeing it!

and lp&q have done such a beautiful job on it. in fact they have done a stunning job on the whole magazine...the best edition yet i think. seriously if you haven't bought or subscribed to this new magazine yet, you really should.

i am very very proud of this quilt. 

i am very proud that it is on the front cover of a mag. and i am very proud of it being the first double size quilt i have made.

here's to many more of both!

this is definitely the year of hard work paying off and dreams coming true...

...and here's to seeing the big one coming true very very soon! 

introducing...

 the blueberry park fabric club!

i am very excited to tell you that my new fabric club will go live and ready to join later this week.

it is a club like no other...

:: choose your size ::

...from charm pack up to a full panel size.

:: choose how often ::

...join for a full year or month by month

:: unique hand printed unavailable-anywhere-else fabrics ::

i have taken all your comments on board and hopefully providing what you have asked for.

so what do you get for your money?

:: 2 designs a month :: 

...printed onto a carefully selected group of fabrics printed onto kona cottons

:: ideas sheet ::

...suggestions of what you can do with your special pieces of hand printed fabrics

:: mini project ::

...every issue comes with a mini project

all you need to do is purchase before the 10th of the month of that issue (blueberry park fabric club will be every 2 months, starting in january). there will be limited availability so do book early! if you want a special heads up email on release date to ensure you don't miss out, please leave your details here.

i hope you will be as excited as i am and look forward to telling you in full later in the week.

a crafty pretty collaboration

 i absolutely love my job and i absolutely love it when something unexpected happens with it...

a little while ago the very lovely claire from crafty pretty got in touch about us doing a collaboration. 

when you essentially work on your own it is really lovely to occasionally work with someone.

claire designs wonderful ceramic wall art by adding transfers to air drying clay. she saw my fabric samples pic and her brain went into overtime (a girl after my own heart) and asked if i would be interested in us doing something together.

i am absolutely thrilled with how they have worked out. she's a genius that girl!

at the moment they are available (here) in these 4 versions but you can commission your own colours/arrangements (i'm saying you can, claire is probably cursing me right now) in almost any colour on the kona card.

it's been an absolute pleasure working with claire (partly because i haven't really done anything) and so exciting to see my designs presented in this way. 

i haven't quite decided which one i am after...possibly the 9'er...possibly a completely different set of colours.

which one would you choose?

As you have probably noticed, I have a split personality where my work is concerned.

Blueberry Park originally started as an online showcase for British Artists, but as the months, years have gone on I have been doing more and more of my own creating.

I really love sourcing the talent that we have here in the UK and providing a platform to make the work accessible for everyone. I get a real buzz from seeking out and meeting wonderful artists at Trade Fairs and the like.

As time has gone on and I have been spending more and more time on my own work, I have found this harder and harder to do and after a year of soul searching and trying desperately to do both sides of Blueberry Park, I have come to the decision that if I am to continue on my own personal creative journey then something has to give.

Whilst I am desperately disappointed that I can no longer devote time to sourcing wonderful new work and continue working relationships with existing Artists, I am very excited about where I am personally heading. As you know, I have fallen in love with Screen Printing and this is going to allow me to go in a new and exciting direction with my work.

So Blueberry Park as we know it is due for quite a change. The good news for you is that in order for this to happen Blueberry Park is offering a Sale Extravaganza!

For you, dear readers, enter KL50 at the checkout to receive 50% off your entire order of remaining Blueberry Park goodies.

So put your feet up, the kettle on, and continue with me and see where my journey takes me next.

Two dates are available for booking –

Thursday 9^th December

Saturday 11^th December

For further information or to book a place for either workshop date please email Manda or Karen at greycircles@hotmail.co.uk

More deliveries at Blueberry Park this week...

I think I've mentioned before how I get a little bit over-excited when I find new pieces for Blueberry Park.

I get very impatient when I find something fab that I know my customers will love as much as I do, to be able to get it up on the site and let everyone see.

I can't wait to get everything on the site and can't wait to then hear everyone's reaction.

I can't wait to find out if I've got it right. If everyone has the same reaction as I did when I first saw the new items.

Well I haven't had to wait too long. I only discovered these amazing Wall Art pieces by Sweet Dimple yesterday and Natalie, the talent behind the label, was obviously just as impatient to have them on Blueberry Park as I was, because less than 24 hours later (a record) they are all right here in all their glory.

And now I need to know...

...Do you love them as much as I do?

Meet Amelie.

She's French, don't you know.

Amelie comes from Paris.

She wears the best in haute couture...

...and can be seen carrying only the most chicest of accessories...

Amelie may be French, but she was designed by the talented Erika of Mikodesign from Holland and you can make your very own Amelie with one of the fantastic new kits we are stocking at Blueberry Park.

Oh and Amelie has a friend, Fleur...you can make her too.